ISOLDE Technical Coordination Meeting (LS3)

Tuesday 16 Jun 2026, 14:00 → 15:00 Europe/Zurich

508/1-001 (CERN)

14:00 → 14:05 General news - Review of minutes

Speakers: Erwin Siesling (CERN), Hanne Heylen (CERN), Joachim Vollaire (CERN)

minutes_2026_06_09_Draft.docx

minutes_2026_06_09_Draft.pdf

14:05 → 14:15 Safety matters

o.cern.ch/event/1696414/
Safety
First aider courses promoted in the context of LS3
First Aid - SST - Initial (Workplace First Aider)
First Aid - SST - Refresher (Workplace First Aider)
First Aid - Life-Saving Actions (1st responder)
WSS presentations:
French on the 23.06.2026 15h30-17h30 (774/R-013)
English on the 25.06.2026 09h00-11h00 (31/3-004)

In March, HSE shared the full F-Gas ‘package’, namely the F-Gas policy, implementation measures, Fundamentals e-learning course and practical guidance as key resources for all F-Gas users on the CERN site.
Please note in particular, that the e-learning course is mandatory for all personnel handling F-gases.
As LS3 approaches, all personnel concerned are therefore expected to sign up and take part in the course, which takes approximately 15-20 minutes.

• Follow the course now by clicking on this link.

Complete information: https://hse.cern/f-gas.

Speakers: Hanne Heylen (CERN), James Devine (CERN), Joachim Vollaire (CERN)

Einstein_closure.png

14:15 → 14:20 IBDRS, Ventilation primary areas upgrade, BTY line @ 2 GeV

• GPS Dump dismantling as of tomorrow Wed. 17/06 until the end of the week. No access allowed on top of building 170 and 197 (signs will be put in place).
• VIC (EN-CV) for the services removal end of August planned on the 22/08
• EN-EL will do the "manchon" in the piperack area and top of buid. 170

Speakers: Ana-Paula Bernardes (CERN), Joachim Vollaire (CERN), Melania Averna (CERN)

IBDRS_reporting_S24_26.pdf

14:20 → 14:25 RILIS Laboratory upgrade project - activities update

Speakers: Carlotta Porzio (CERN), Katerina Chrysalidis (CERN), Laura Lambert (CERN), Sebastian Rothe (CERN)

Large shielding block 3800 kg.mp4

• Large shielding block removed this morning
• Smaller shielding block to the right of HRS door likely removed sometime next week
  • to be confirmed once we finish removing services from the block
• BI team building their new rack in the material sas as we speak, to be put in place likely this week
• A few integration meetings this week: EN/EL and RP

 

• Construction phase anticipated start: week 28

14:25 → 14:35 Machine related activities in the experimental hall

Speakers: Erwin Siesling (CERN), Simon Mataguez (CERN)

Platform EPC:

• Ticket open for neons above the platform (Jerome Cantet EN/EL) - in progress/to follow up
• New beamlines depart: RY02 - RY06 'beamlines' from ERD11.06*80 (via ERK3*80) - needs final validation / connection (Nicolas David / Patrick Gallay EN/EL) 
• Scaffolding will be removed this week (today/tomorrow)
• Platform supposed to be ready mid-June to start commissioning, however, there is some delay:  
  - Cable team not available due to HL-LHC until wk 27 / 29th June
  - 3 wks work: 20th July ready for commissioning?
  - 40 extensions to be put in place
  - 60 bad connectors to replace
  - Test full cable chain
• Nicolas commissioning the controls on the platform done (gateway and power supplies)
• Plan/action points to be listed in preparation of the hardware commissioning phase (BE-OP-ISO: Miguel/Lefteris/Erwin/Alberto)

 

197 Power supplies consolidation:

• ECR discussed and approved..
• Renforcement of the metal floor structure asap in July (Jordy) if resources are available, alternatively Sept / or via Severin to keep timeline
• EPC to come with a dateto empthy the racks
• Old dummy load removed
• Old MISTRAL power supply to be moved to 275: consignation done, Andy will remove the AC connections, DC and temp/interlock cables to be disconnected/mis a la terre by EP? (ask James), water tubes to be disconnected (Alex?)

 

ISOLDE vacuum system: 

• HRS & Replacement of the HRS20 & HRS30 pumping groups valves in the HRS separator zone (Guillermo) -  VSC intervention can potentially be planned.

REX/HIE ISOLDE: 

• Digital LLRF together with replacement for REX 101MHZ Solid State amplifiers situation:
  - 2nd meeting held. Negative MTP outcome, however, there is budget within RF for a GRAD. Procedure will start. Expected to start as of Oct '26. Aim: Restart in '28 with digital LLRF in place.
  - Solid State amplifiers will arrive between Oct '26 - mid '27. REX RF room will be re-organised. Layout to be send around. Commissioning Sept/Oct '27 of the Solid State amplifiers with old analog LLRF system.
  - Check: Water 20 C mixed available Sept/Oct '27
  - REX RF structures characterization being scheduled for the coming week(s) - 2 days. 20C mixed needed (Alexandre Fournier): Is running, however, due to no load at ~16/17C. Being checked with RF if OK for the tests.
• Actions on the REX/HIE list:
  - HIE: replacement prim. pumps CMs, backing & roughing lines - Oct/Nov (after LHC LS high peak work).
  - Modification of the chamber of the XL9GP Quad (last in REX LINAC before CM1/DBox) (Nicolas Thaus TE/VSC). Quad to be taken out for this - to be scheduled with Antony Newborough and transport. - to be done.
  - Removal of the obsolete 9GAP 202MHZ amplifier workaround cables (2015) from the mezzanine/MR-Tof area into the tunnel to the 9GAP structure (~11x) (Rustan Calming cable team EN/EL) - probably wk 27 due to lack of resources (HL-LHC)
  
  
• REX Low E development:
  - Replacement of the leaking REX mass slits actuator for a bellow type one - decision to be taken on the type (Fredrik in strong favour of the manual version).
  - Changes to mass slits and foils: longer stroke (100 mm) and have slightly wider slits (Fredrik). Having a (HIE ISOLDE long type) FC in this position would be beneficial (Alberto) - this will be included in any case.
  - Suppress the slit in the vertical part of the REX separator and instead install a 280 l/s turbo pump to increase the pumping speed in the system - in the cause of LS.
  
  
• REX EBIS platform modification in the frame of the RILIS project (discovered..). 30cm of the platform will need to be cut (on the RILIS side)
• Concequences for REXEBIS filling and drifttube and alignment tube (dis)mounting being addressed - Vincent integrating the solutions
• Will be part of the ICL meeting 
  
  
• For installation of the CHROME related cables a scaffodling has been put up along the VITO and over the CAO line around the REXTRAP cage. Work will start wk27 and last ~2 weeks (Rustan teams). Issue: the new COLLAPS faraday cage was moved by the scaffolding team to put the scaffolding ladder in place. This has been corrected and a modification to the scaffolding will be carried out to palce the ladder.

 

• MINIBALL AC power distribution presently through sockets is to be improved and brought up to standard of a semi-permanent installation (ISS side already done)
• 7kCHF total costs between EN/EL and ISOLDE Technical Infrastructure (James)
  
  
• BI workzone, for HIE (and other) instrumentation, is to be allocated between the XT03 and XT02 beamlines
• work benches supposed to arrive this week
• network connections to be allocated (J. Tassan-Viol)

 

Separator zones HRS & GPS:

• GPS separator zone scaffolding will be removed this week
  
  

Beamlines:

• Rack 50 (BI instrumentation) move out of the way for handling and will end up forward by 1m50 - ongoing
• A solution was put in place to support the cables / cable tray blocking the large 'to be removed' concrete shielding block against the GPS bunker
• Removal of the block was this morning
  
  

Commissioning new target heating power supplies 170 HT room:

• HRS & GPS target heating tests carried out Wed 10/06 (Julien Parra-Lopez EPC):
  - ERD11.40*80 has not been allocated to GPS (malfunctioning) but ERD11.39*80.
  - Crossing of the HRS and GPS start points at ERD11.19 & 39 was discovered – corrected by EN/EL
  - The ventilator for the HRS FE TPs was disconnected causing the turbo’s to heat too much – solved by reconnecting in the separator zone
  - The FEC cfc-197-rplchrs gave an error message: PowPLC_Deploy_M is inactive. This was due to the removal of the ISCOOL PLC and its elements from the database. Thanks Jose (De Paco Soto SY/EPC) for finding a workaround.

• HRS & GPS Target have been locked out again. Target cooling water station stopped. HRS10 vacuum to standby with TPs off.
• GPS eating test in ~ 3wks when work around Boris tube has finished?

Fiber Optics work:

• Coming up: Thursd 18/06 short zoom meeting to discuss and schedule the remaining work for the White Rabbit fiber optics (Nenad Simic). 
  
  --

14:35 → 14:40 Experiments related activities in the experimental hall

Speakers: Hanne Heylen (CERN), Oscar Fjeld (CERN)

Ongoing

• IDS measurements
  • Plan for plastic removal?
• Wisard preparation campaing (no magnet filling)
• Resume EN-EL work for Multipac in b. 508
• With start of works on ISOLTRAP platform, no more LN2 filling (will be done via transfer tube instead)
• Installation of COLLAPS ion source cage
• Alternative AC in VITO laser lab, detailed to be defined

Upcoming

• Wisard measurements campaign starting from 29th of June until 19th of July

New requests

• TAS coming 16 to 19 July (cabling electronics, calibration of detectors)
• Dismantling of SAND neutron wall near XT03 - July, date to be confirmed
•  

 

14:40 → 14:45 Experiments related activities in the experimental hall

Speaker: Erwin Siesling (CERN)

ISOLTRAP:

• Work starting Thursday 18/06:
  
  

18/06: Installation de chantier

Mise en place des protections et échafaudage périphérique

Démontage des cloisons existantes au RDC

 

1ère phase : du 18/06 au 21/07

Démontage du plancher supérieur avec l'aide du transport

Installation de la nouvelle structure aluminium

 

2ème phase : du 23/07 au 18/08

Démontage du plancher inférieur

Installation de la nouvelle structure aluminium

 

Nettoyage et repli de chantier

• VITO laser tube to be kept in place (will be taken into account)
• Emergency exit ladder part to be installed (Severin)

 

WISARD:

• This week: 15 - 19 June to mount the setup for off line data taking - no cooldown= no craning limitation
• week 27 (29 June) to cooldown the magnet
• taking data wk27-29 until July 19
• Coordinate with ISOLTRAP & RILIS work.
  
  

COLLAPS/CRIS platform:

• An initial design has been made and has been transmitted to Vincent Barozier for further integration - ongoing
• Discussion on the design for mirror carying pillars ongoing: Structure or concrete (50x50cm) -> adapt platform around this
• Severin D'Armancourt and Tiago Nico (SCE) in the loop for civil engineering integration and metal structure design and calculation

 

IDS:

• request to remove old plastics - cannot be all removed. Easiest to close the openings with alu plates: Severin to be contacted

 

VITO:

• Temporary installation of a HT cage next to the REXTRAP timing rack foreseen for a few months
  
  

Beamlines:

• RC6 MR-Tof installation work continuing (Lukas / Alex)
• Cabling work in the RC6/RL7 area finsihed (few details - wk27 when cable team is back)
• Old 9 GAP RF cables going to be removed - wk27
• RL7 installation work on supports and equipment continues
• PUMA floorprint indicated.
• Visit with stakeholders for the AC distribution for the Diesel generator (199) and the PUMA AC distribution and power cabinet + AUG connection to 197.
• Easiest solution is to have the AC PUMA cabinet at the end of RL7 with drums to roll the AC cables onto when PUMA is not in place. Advantage: no permanent cable trays and cabinet in the extension zone. New design will be done by LUKAs and eventually integrated by Vincent.
• Cable work would start end of Aug wk33/34. PUMA transport not realistic before Sept anyway..

 

Infrastructure / cooling and chilled water cut (IBDRS related) (dates:  19/08   -  May '27 ?     ):

• Compressed air to be kept (isolate 198/199 area from 170 area)
• 508 AC will be cut affected: Laser labs 508 will be affected
• 170 demi water 27 degrees will be cut: COLLAPS, VITO, PUMA will be affected
• 170 raw water 20 degrees will be cut: Timeline should fit with LLRF characterization measurements of the REX RF structures (D. Valuch, G. Piccinini) & Solid State amplifier commissioning as of Sept/Oct '27 (G. Piccinini)
• Timeline should fit with Cryo tests foreseen Q4 2027 in the frame of the integration of the LHe dewar and restart of the Cryo plant - 27 demi cooling water needed (N. Guillotin, T. Dupont)

 

 

14:45 → 14:50 Mechanical Workshop and other support requests

Speaker: Oscar Fjeld (CERN)

Last week:

• VITO - profiles cut and machined 
• Miniball rack holder modified 
• LaBr detector cover design - Lorenzo 
• IDS - Ti44 sample opening at Medicis, sample was opened and measured.
• Design shielding Ti44 sample holder - printed shieldig in tungsten PETG
• Wizard tower brought up to platform 
• Helmet rack design 
• Feedback from civil engineering for the ISOLDE sign - anchoring 

 

New requests:

• Demineralized water station 508 
• Solution for hanging the helmets on the wall for visits

14:50 → 14:55 Review of ECRs

EDMS Tittle Prepared by Approved by
https://edms.cern.ch/document/3385882/0.1
Central Beamline Sharing at ISOLDE L. Le (SY/STI)
L. Nies (SY/STI)
J. A. R. Rodriguez (BE-OP)
L. Fraile (EP-SME)
S. Rothe (SY-STI)
J. Vollaire (SY-STI)
https://edms.cern.ch/document/3287895/0.1
ISOLDE-RC6 Timing Specifications Lukas Nies Sebastian Rothe [SY-STI]
Joachim Vollaire [SY-STI]

https://edms.cern.ch/document/3391077/0.2
The RC-7 Transfer Line and PUMA-Frames at ISOLDE M. Kirschbaum L. Fraile EP-SME
J. Vollaire SY-STI
E. Siesling BE-OP-ISO

14:55 → 15:00 Planned visits and AOBs

J. Vollaire will miss the next two ITC (conflicting event next week and holidays the week after)

Speaker: Hanne Heylen (CERN)

• Overview planning of LS3 activities has been updated.
• Installation of demineralised water in 508
• Academic Lecture on Roadmap for non-collider physics: tomorrow 14h: https://indico.cern.ch/event/1696414/
• Reminder that normal guided visits need to be requested officially via https://booking-visit.cern.ch/private
  • More info on: https://isolde.web.cern.ch/isolde-visits
  • Also for job shadowing/stagaires 
  • If not following the normal visits path, an impact needs to be created for professional visit